Into a New Light
by Layla-Fae
Summary: Percy Jackson finds himself in front of a fountain, sobbing and begging for his IM to get through. After a fight with Annabeth, he ran out and is now turning to the last hope he has of someone who can understand the pain-Nico Di Angelo, who hasn't been seen in years. What will happen when Nico hears him and does what he ask? To take home away to an unseen world, into a new light...
1. Chapter 1

Full summary: Years after the Giant War, Nico Di Angelo stabs a magical sword into a rock and discovers an unseen world from both mortals and demigods. Meanwhile, in New Rome, Percy Jackson is hopelessly struggling from his past and can't find relief. What happens when he IM the son of hades, begging him to come and save him? What happens when Nico actually does? Chaos and drama unfold as Percy's loved ones think he is kidnapped and are now on the hunt for them, but what if Percy doesn't want to leave Nico and the beautiful safe heaven?

I know I shouldn't be starting an story but I had this for a long time and I just was to put it out there to see if it's worth writing more of. Tell me what you think. Enjoy.

Also on Wattpad, same title, under username: Madeline_A_Cole. Check it out.

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><p>Fear.<p>

Fear; the exact beast that voracious devour it's susceptible and impeccable target alive. The same monster that completely substitute a victim's mind and dictates with pure sadism and inhumane barbarity. The identical sinful varlet who solely pretension in life is to disseminate and occasion itself into others so it can proliferate the sensation of sweet merriment that it can only receive in it's prisoners excruciatingly painful misery.

And the whole world was filled, basically generated, by it. It was the powerful source of it's existence and the significant fundament of it's ongoing rotation which formally develops into the cruel contrivance of another kind of the emotions that are correctly label 'bad'.

Pain.

Pain; the creation that branches off of fear when it reaches an attitudinal level too great for any perpendicular, unaware soul that it might spring onto in any and many matters or forms. Pain can take the illusion of physical battery and cause fear of being appalling beaten onto the victim in a harsh corporeal manner. Pain can appear in the mask of mental challenges that can confusedly impugn and negatively effect someone when it come to their instructional intelligences or their discreet thinking. But the most hurtful, mysterious torture pain can ever come in is emotional-mainly because love.

Love.

Love; the most savage monster, the most ferocious demon that could ever be infected into a poor being heart, and when it is directly rejected or merely valueless to the object of the strong, passionate affection... No words could describe the pain.

Well, no words that Nico Di Angelo have yet to find.

Ever since the victorious end of the Giant War and Gaia was put back to sleep, Nico left and has lived, and continues to leads, a life away from the demigods he was once acquainted with. He packed his belongings the same night the battle ended and when everyone was celebrating the win for the Greeks and the Romans. He left when they all left the field, there he escaped to the shadows like he normally did and traveled back to his cabin to gather his things in his suitcase and he was gone from there.

He kept his promise in the end. His took the seven to the doors. He delivered the Parthenon back to Camp. He fought for the Gods. Now he was done and gone. He went away and he never looked back, or even considered the thought of looking back. Not for anyone. Not for Jason. Not for Hazel. Not even for Percy. It's not like they cared, anyway.

He concentrated firmly on himself to find a place where there was no one who could ever find him. Where no one could get in reach of him, not even the Gods. Hell, a place without any life form in anyway would be fucking perfect. He vision a place in the northern region of Alaska where no one lived and saw a small empty cabin and he was soon there.

He fell face first into the snow covered ground and landed with a thud. He quickly got up and travel over to the home to begin his new life without anyone else there to fuck it all up. He was alone. Completely alone- and he couldn't be any happier.

He was free. Absolutely at liberty from everyone else. He was no longer consumed by Jason Grace and his constant suggestions of his love filled confessions he should perform to his long time crush nor his always watching eyes on him, filled with endless pity and concerned. He was no longer companied with Hazel his sister who didn't even really want him around, deep down inside. She never really knew him and if she had the chance, she would get ridge of him since she felt like she was nothing more then a second best sister to him after Bianca died. And, the fucking best of all, he was finally away from Percy Jackson.

Percy.

Percy; the only person in this whole world that made Nico really just want to die and finally be stuck in the underworld with his father forever. And, at the exact same time, made him want to run back to camp and stay there for the rest of time, if he was there. Nico Di Angelo hated Percy with every burning fiber of his being... Yet, he loved the hero with his entire heart, soul, and life.

Percy was the same person who went onto the same quest that his sister died on, and Nico wanted him dead on the spot once he told him. Yet, he couldn't let that skeleton warrior hurt him when Percy was about to be defended and possibly killed.

Percy was the same person who dropped off the face of the earth for over half a year, driving all of his loved one with worry, making Nico being the first one to find him at the Roman Camp and he had never been happier to see him to where he couldn't even hide it completely, to have it all crushed once he mentioned his vague memory of his true love- Annabeth Chase. Yet, he came to his recuse when Nico was locked away in a jar that was guarded by the two Giants that capture him as he was going through Tartarus.

Percy was... Percy was his hero. His bright example of a true shining knight in amor that was destine to save the day. Hell, Nico was destine to fall head over head for him and be fucked over by being in love with him for the rest of his life, cursed to never be able to get over him.

He was forever damned to love him. To love him through it fucking all. All the fear he has if Jason ever spilled about his encounter with Cupid and confessing his feelings for him and still lying about being over him. All the pain he had whenever he was around him and his was just being his stupid perfect self with his stupid perfect girlfriend. All the... All the love him had for Percy Jackson... And having to hide it, fake it. Just so he could live with being completely broken.

That's why he left. The real reason why he left. He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't go on with the lie to himself. He needed to get away so he could breath again and live his life without being hurt. He had to move on, even if it seemed hopeless. He had to at least try to move on so he could finally be happy. For himself.

He spend three years in that cabin that soon became home to him, or, well, the closest he'll ever get to the feeling of home. It was lonely but that's what he liked. He liked being alone so nothing bad could happen to him. He enjoyed his life in that cabin for three years. He was content and away from anything that could ever hurt him, and he was extremely happy.

That is, until those fucking hellhounds came in and destroyed all of that.

Seriously, wasn't Alaska the land beyond the gods? And if so, why the hell and where in hell did they come from?

Nico remembers laying down in his bed at a late hour into the night and was just about asleep when his window in his bedroom is shattered, shooting out broken glass, and there was one of them right in front of him and his bed. The hellhound was even bigger then normal, one of the biggest ones Nico has ever seen in his whole life, with big red eyes that were the same color of blood. And it was glaring straight at him, growling and baring his teeth. He was too stunned to move for a moment, till the thing pounced at him to attack.

Nico moved out of the way at the very last second before being crashed. He bragged his sword and barely managed to kill the thing before it ate him. Nico soon traveled down stairs to find two more who where eating and crashing everything they saw. Rage filled Nico and he soon attacked and killed them.

After the fight, he was energy drained and his lovely home was literally destroyed beyond repair. Nico was left with no choice but to leave and find another great escape. And he had to do it fast since he could sense more near by. He could hear the dark growling growing rapidly till he was certain they were behind him, next to the last wall left standing so thankfully he could escape before they saw him.

Nico quickly shadow travel to somewhere else, he didn't even know, and was soon there. He landed on his feet and observed his surroundings. He was in a forest, and no one else was there. He liked it so far.

Nico traveled onwards into the small opening that soon relieved a tiny path farther into the wilderness. He was very tired but he knew he had to find shelter somewhere for the night before he could rest.

He lazily followed the trail for who knows how long. His feet started to ache and he felt like he would soon pass out onto the ground and fall asleep. He was freezing in the cold since he was only in sweat pants and an old t-shirt. His not no shoes, leaving only socks to cover his feet.

The son of Hades was cursing out every god he could think of at the moment, as he walked on, looking for some kind of shelter. He just needed a small space with a tree without a bunch of rocks and animals hanging around, so he could rest his head till morning.

The young man walked till he couldn't anymore and he was almost falling over in sleep. He couldn't keep his eyes open for more then a few seconds at a time. He finally gave up and sat down by an old oak tree, and hoped that a snake won't come up and bite him or something.

Of course, that would be his luck. He survived the Titian War, Tartarus, the Giant War, and his heartbroken from Percy Jackson, and he would be known as the idiotic son of Hades that died from a simple snake bite. How pathetic.

He leaned his back onto the tree and closed his eyes, trying to sleep as comfortable as he could with it being freezing cold outside and having a pointy rock up his ass.

He was just about asleep and on his way to blissful dreamland until something bunked him on the head. He fell over to his side as the fallen object scattered to the other side.

Nico's head was thumping with pain as his vision was blurry to a point of where he couldn't make out a single thing in font of him. He felt lightheaded and he couldn't real think of anything other the pain for a moment.

When his head stopped and finally cleared, he looked over to the heavy object that laid on the ground under leaves and spikes of dirt. It was long and made of dark iron that almost faded into the shadows. One end was a ebony handle with a curvy design of lines that travel up onward to the rest of it's body. The other end was a very sharp point that might have cut you by just looking at it. He even checked the back of his head for a bloody cut.

Nico had never seen a sword like this before. He hesitated on touching it at first but slowly reached out and brought it over to himself. His held the weapon very carefully. It was about four feet long and it gave off a strong aura of intimidation and power.

Nico looked back up the tree. His mind raced with questions and theories of what it was but none of them could possibly be right. He glanced down to the sword again and finally took proper hold of the handle, like he would do if he fought in a battle with it. Soon he realized there was an iron cover over the actual blade. He took hold of it and slightly struggled to snap it apart but managed to. A pure glowing silver blade with no detailed design was discovered. It looked to be freshly made and never used. Nico brought it closer to his face, studying the blade, wondering how it got up in a tree.

The blade suddenly glowed a light blue color, it was almost blinding to Nico's eyes. The son of Hades jumped back in shock and pulled the sword away from his face. He watched in total shock as the blade grew brighter. Out of the corner of his eye, Nico saw a similar bright light from somewhere behind him. He turned back to find a the same bright blue shine beaming out from the inside of a giant rock with a deep cut on the top. He wondered how he didn't notice that before.

Soon, the demigod stood, sword still in hand and still glowing, and slowly walked over to the rock. He stood in front of the small boulder with a sharp ended oval cut in the center. Nico held the blade up and studied the end of the pointed blade again, and then glance back to the cut that looked about the same size.

He did what came naturally to him. Nico held the handle with both hands and pointed the sword down above the cut. He harshly thrust the sword into the cut, shoving the blade about half way through. The glowing continued, but nothing else happened. Nico pushed the sword even deeper with all his strength and, soon, all of it went into the rock to where only the handle was visual. The bright light was gone.

For a moment, nothing happen and Nico wasn't sure what to do. Then the ground shook violently, causing him to trip backwards and almost fall over. He was used to the earth under his feet shaking but never this harshly. He stood back up and tried his power over the earth himself, concentrating to halt the shaking to a stop.

He didn't even realize he had his eyes close until he opened them to a bright white light that conjured his entire vision. He could see nothing else and he was going blind from the sight of it. The shaking had completely stopped.

He thought for a terrifying moment that he was dead. But then the lighting faded down a bit and it soon reviled a new setting.

Nico had no idea how he got there, but, at that moment, the son of Hades stood in a beautiful grassland location. The new area he stood in had a grass up to his mid thigh and it was spread out as far as he could see and possibly even further. The sky was a light, brilliant blue with only the bright sun, no clouds. The grassy field had several tiny hills scattered through out. On the tallest hill, far out to the edge of the field, there stood a castle like structure made out of pure marble with pure gold, emerald green, and black iron accents and designs with linear lines and loose curves. There was a bell tower at the very top, tall and straight, proud and strong looking. It's bell was like any old fashion bell, but instead of gold or copper, it was made from sliver. The same kind that he sword was made of, Nico was sure of so.

Nico took a look behind him to only find more of an empty grassy field that he saw in front of him. He realized then he was trapped inside of this new, magical place and had no idea of how he was going to get out.

At first, panic rose inside him like a bolt of lighting as he began to search for an exist. He found none and was left with only one more option. He turn back towards the direction of the house and started to make his way there. He soon approached it and walked up it's huge steps up to the front entrees with wide, marble columns on each side. He first knocked the wooden door and was probably ten times his own heigh. No answer. He soon took the knock and turned it. Unlocked. He pulled the door, which was surprisingly light, and entered into the mystery castle.

The room he was now in was made of pure marble as well, except the floor that had plush, cream colored carpet, which he found odd but didn't dwell over it. The floor was made into a perfect circle that held crystals and other precious jewels in it's golden accented steps that lead it's way down. On the farthest wall was a golden accented rail staircase that had the same fancy carpet on the steps but it was blood red instead of cream, and swirled around in circles like a spring as it lead up to the higher level. The ceiling above him was completely made of mirrors so Nico was starting straight at himself at about twenty feet over his head.

He let out a low whistle. He was blown away from the sight. It was defiantly the most beautiful place he ever been in and had ever seen.

Then he realized that he might not been alone.

"Hello?" Nico called out. He looked around more for a form of life in any kind. Although he was praying that it wasn't in a form of a hellhound. He received no answer. He soon traveled over to the steps and made his way up them. He called out again for anyone to see of they were there. Still silence. His own voice echoed off the walls and came back at him like a loud bullet.

Nico walked farther into the open second floor that was just like the first except the walls were now made of mirrors like the ceiling. But one wall was bare, and was made into a window out into the area behind the plaza. Nico looked out of it and found exactly what he already saw but, farther out in the distance, the grass gradually changed over to sand that transformed into a beach with beautiful, sea green waves that crashed onto the shore. Nico quickly looked away.

To his right, there was an opening to another staircase to the next floor and he decided to go up there. The steps lead him up to a hallway that held about five rooms and another staircase on the other end. He went straight to the staircase, not looking into any of the rooms, and soon arrived into the bell tower.

Nico went up onto the next few steps to the circled area that held the silver bell. The sunshine that streamed from the openings glowed onto the bell and it radiated with pure beauty an it's looked very lovely. He almost with blind with the light, and he was starting to get tired of almost going blind from the things in this place.

He approached the bell as he stepped into the circle, but something, from the corner of his eye, flashed into his sight. Something black.

He turned to find the sword that hit him earlier on the head. He just realized then that he was parted from it when he came into the new setting. He grabbed the sword and kept a tight hold onto it. He when over to one of the openings that were arched into a perfect dome like entree.

He looked out into the outside world, hoping to find an exist. But all that was there was more grassland.

He cursed under his breath. He wanted to leave. He wanted to leave and find another escape from the old life that he was running away from. He wanted to get back to being away from the whole Greek God world and be completely out of the mess. But no. He couldn't even leave... But that also meant that no one could ever enter. Not without the sword anyway...

He was alone. No one else was here.

Maybe this place wasn't so bad after all.

Just then the earth shook, vibrating violently under his feet, almost causing him to fall over onto the ground. The shaking, luckily, was short lived and, once he regain his balance, Nico stood to capture the sight before him.

About two steps in front of him, a small glowing white hole broke through the stone ground. It just glowed brighter to where it almost blinded Nico, but the young man could still make out the large, clear lining of a pair of hands that grasp the two opposite sides of the circle. Within a second, the same clear, outlining shaped the silhouette of a mortal like figure with a large head, two eyes, a nose and mouth. Nico stepped back and rest his hand on his own sword, preparing himself for a fight. The figure rose entirely out of the hole, which soon faded away back to the way the stone floor was before.

The figure stood straight and tall, almost a whole six feet, if not taller. Nico recognized what it was right before him in a minute, but he could tell something was off about the figure in front of him, who Nico could clearly class as a man.

The spirit man in front of him stared back at him with soulless black eyes, like Nico had himself.

It was the living who spoke first. "You're a ghost." Nico stated. "A undead spirit."

"Yes, I am." The ghost spoke but there was something off about his voice. Unlike most, if not all, ghost or spirits he has encounter, there voices were small and spread out, like a warm breeze that was smooth across the entire air, barely able to hear sometime. This ghost's voice sounded as if it was a roar from a hollow place. Like his voice came from an enclose and concealed closure.

"Hello." Nico nodded for his wave. "I'm Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades. What is your name?"

Over the years and his from his experiences in the Underworld, Nico has observed and learn that the death was just like the living with it came to encountering and meeting new people. They liked to be given respect and some information of the stranger they are seeing. Nico really couldn't complain from that request since he was the same, if not more strict and demanding of it.

The saw the spirit's eyes go wide and fill with an emotion Nico wasn't to familiar with.

"Hello, My Lord." He spoke. "My name is Bradshaw. I am your humble servant."

Nico raise a brow to him. "Pardon?"

"I am here to serve you." Bradshaw responded. "I am the immortal servant to all the Kings of Oltre Malavita."


	2. Chapter 2

Guilt

Guilt; the drug like emotion that just just feels you up completely fill till you're basically spilling over with the substance that comes pouring over from your mouth, like vomit after you had too much to drink or when you over douce and you find yourself drowning in your own puke. But, unlike the drugs and whiskey, guilt came with a more forceful and brutal blow, like a painful punch to the stomach, just ten times worse and it's in your already breaking heart and nearly shattered ego.

Guilt was like the leader in a gang. Guilt ran the shots and call for the ones to suffer or to have mercy. Guilt had followers that came with it wherever he went. Doubt, Dread, Self Hatred, just to name some of the loyal members. The worse being Shame, that one had the most excruciatingly afflictive chastisement. That one caused the most damage during an after the war.

They traveled together and they punished together, making the inhuman torture even slower and more painful for the poor victim. But that's the thing. Guilt and it's gang didn't attacked the good guys. He went after the bad. The cruel ones, the horrible ones that deserved what they got.

Percy Jackson was one of those. And he knew he deserved a lot worse then he has already gotten.

It's been three years after the war, and at his age of 20, he felt like he was over a thousand. His body ached all over constantly. He felt like shitz supreme pizza with an extra serving shitz on the side with a shitz flavored drink. He was just to dam young to feel this dam old.

He hated the feeling. He hated how he couldn't wake up anymore without his arms stinging from the deep scratches he gave himself from his nightmares. Most of the time he was out of control while he viciously dig into his skin, his mind too busy roaming through his dark and frighting past to be aware of what he was doing to himself. Sometimes, his back would start to hurt as well, especially on his left shoulder blade where his Achilles spot used to be. He could still feel the way the water seemed to burned his skin as if it was boiling. Other times, his eyes would water uncontrollably, burning as well, as if he was drinking from the river of fire again like he did down there. He was tried of hurting constantly. It always made him look back at the past and wonder what the hell when wrong, and how did it all come to this.

He wasn't like this right after the war. After defeating Gaea, he and Annabeth went back to New York, where Percy finally reunited with his mother. He remembers her opening the door and smiling so brightly when she saw him. He loved the way she hugged him so tightly and began to cry with him as they held onto each other in pure happiness. He remembers hugging Paul as well, the pepper haired man happy to see him as well, and he hugged him like a real father would hugged his son. He never felt more at home in his life.

He stayed there for a few weeks, but him and Annabeth decided to go back to Camp Half Blood for the rest of the summer. Percy didn't know why or how it effected him so much but he just entirely shattered while he was there. It was as if all the wonderful and enchanting memories that had taken place on the sweet green grass and pure bright sunshine of what used to be his enlightening sanctuary just vanished along with the wind, only leaving with the terrors of war and death that seemed to in the cold lingering of the wind.

Percy sensed it once he stepped foot on the ground, his soul and body observing up the aura of the destructible impact like a sponge. His happy mood down casting right away at it, but he kept smiling, kept laughing for Annabeth's sake who was on cloud nine. He kept up the fake front when he shook hands with Chiron who was saying of how proud he was of Percy. The praising didn't set well with him, like someone just dropped a stone into the very pit of his stomach.

It was because if that look in the old teacher's eyes. The same Piper had when she warmly embraced Annabeth and him and asked them how they were. She was happy and kind, like she always was, smiling that pretty smile of her's with that same harpy feather in her hair, but she still had that look in her eyes, the same Chiron had. The look even stop the constant reunite of changing colors her eyes always had, staying a solid dark color Percy couldn't make out, not that he wanted to anyway. Percy hugged her back and let Annabeth speak for him when Piper was nailing them with questions and news about the camp at 65 miles per hour. It was hard enough to keep the happy expression without speaking.

It wasn't till days later when Jason came to visit. He woke up that morning and found him in the dinning hall, talking to Chiron up at the head table. Percy didn't feel any thrilling ambition to go talk to him so he went and got some eggs and some apple juice and went to sit at his father's table, alone, trying his best not to get notice by the blonde priest. He knew that he would see through the mask and borther him constantly about it till he finally torn it down and explain why he had it up in the first place. Percy wasn't in the mood for the friendly interrogation... Especially after last night...

But the son of Jupiter still found him, and came over with a spring in his steps and a smile on his face, like it was the best day ever to alive. Percy begged to differ.

Jason came over and sat across from him. He say his hello and Percy did as well. He ask about his new position and how he liked it and they had some talk in that manner for a while, enough for him to finish his breakfast. Jason talked about Camp Juniper and how they were doing good. He also talked about Hazel and Frank and how they planned to attend school together whenever they can. He told Percy that Frank was doing well as Praetor and Hazel was helping Rachel and Tyson rewrite the Sibylline books from Ella's flawless memory. He also said that there were some mourning Octavian's death, but most were at peace about it. He talked about how Reyna was and said that she was doing fine, even through he didn't elaborate about it.

Percy smiled at all the good news, truly happy about it. He was really wondering and hoping that all of his friends at New Rome were okay and were happy. He glad to be informed about them, that everyone was recovering from the hell they been through all together. He felt good about it all, but then Jason hit him with the bad news.

Apparently, when the Romans were fighting Gaea at Camp Half Blood, New Rome was swallowed up by the earth, completely gone. Not a simple building or anything. All the homes and people that were left behind... Gone. Countless of lives...

Percy nearly fell out of his chair, clenching his heart, thinking it just stopped completely. Jason caught him before he fell, leaning over the table to the point where he on basically on it.

Percy didn't know how take it really. He knew something was wrong, it was plain to see in all of there eyes that not everything was great and happy, but it was that bad? Percy never really gave thought of how many really died in the war. How many lost their lives?...

How long have Jason known this? How long has everyone known this? Why didn't they tell him?...

Just then, Percy froze like he was just blasted into ice. His partly godly blood stopped in his veins with a shivery halt. His mind raced at fleetness velocity with countless of corrections and thoughts...

He realized then that they never told him, because he didn't ask.

He was happy, blinded by the victory to care for the others around him. He was preoccupied with the fact that his life was finally going to be okay again. That everything for him was back to normal with his friends and his family. Everything was going to be okay and he was finally going to get his happily ever after with his beautiful love and his loyal friends and his loving family...

It never occurred to him that some others weren't so lucky. That some campers from both camps had suffered, had loss... That maybe they lost a friend or maybe more. Maybe they lost there family or there siblings... Maybe they lost there own life to the earth goddess that swallowed them whole like they were nothing, helpless and powerless to stop it or to even run because that was impossible. And they knew that was possible for them, yet they still did it because they knew it was the right thing to do. They fought for the gods, for their friends and family, for their own lives and died in the end for it... And Percy didn't even think about...

He felt like sobbing in mourning realization. He felt like screaming bloody murder out of anger for the fallen solider, for Gaea killing them and for himself for not noticing. He felt ashamed at himself for being so careless and ungrateful for all those countless of lives that he didn't give a damn about. He felt remorseful for the fact that he didn't even think about it till now, not during the days of funerals, or when afterwards when he went searching for Leo with the others. No, it didn't hit him till now, and it's been weeks since the final battle.

But most of all... He felt entirely guilty. It was because of him all of those people died, that all of those innocent souls were killed-murdered- all because of him. He should have done something, anything. He should have came up with something to save them, even back at New Rome. He should have...should have...

Percy sat up and breathed for a moment before Jason continued to inform him onto worser things. Like how Rachel still couldn't see the future, or how all the decencies of Apollo have been reported to have strange and unexplainable dream from the sun god, all of them completely different. Jason then finally mentioned of how he still couldn't reach Nico Di Angelo.

That made Percy feel worse. How could he completely forget about all of them? His good friend Rachel? His own baby brother Tyson? Even Nico? How could he be so clueless and forgetful to not remember any of them?

Jason had saw the way Percy had react and tried to comfort him by putting a hand on his shoulder and saying that it was okay, that the war was over and everything was okay now. But Jason didn't understand why Percy was freaking out, why he was racking with guilt so rapidly. Percy even turned to him it explained by was at stopped by that same look in his eye that all the others had.

Percy then realized that look was from the effects of war they all have experimented. From all the tragedies they seen... All the terrors they faced... All the deaths they had gone through... Gone through and cared about...

Percy doesn't remember much then. He recalls pulling away from Jason and yelling at him. He didn't remember what he said but he knew he caused a seen. Then he ran out if the grand hall and dashed back to his cabin. He heard Jason call after him, Annabeth and Piper joining him later on, but Percy was faster then all of them. He kept running and slammed the door behind him. He fell to his knees as he began to breath heavily and then soon crying. He could still hear them calling him name on the other side. They even started pushing the door, banging and demanding entrees but Percy just curled up into a ball on the floor and broke with guilty sobs racking his body painfully.

That's when it all started. Percy started to just to close in on himself like a house of cards collapsing on itself. Swiftly coming down but with smooth gracefulness.

He started to disconnect himself from the world outside his cabin. The sight he used to love with all his heart because worse then a wasted wasteland in his eyes. A hellhole up there with Tartarus almost, and it wasn't because it was a cruel disgusting sight. No, never! It's just a single, huge, forever noticeable reminder of what he has done. It filled his heart with rage and pain and self loathing so much, he couldn't stand it.

He started to decline from everyone, along with himself the more time he stayed there, his own sanity sinking along with him as he drifted downward into the endless ocean of himself. He just transformed into this giant ball of unpredictable problems that would exploded with he finally couldn't take it anymore.

He started to just fill with so much anger and hatred for not only himself but for others as well, almost everything really. He would keep it all buried inside him, containing it all inside with sealed lips until he just burst with apoplectic aftermath. Most of the time, it was all thrown out to Annabeth, after her constant questions she alway asked him. They were always about his well being, if he was okay, even though the answer was clear to see that he wasn't. At fist, she would take his raging fit of anger and leave him alone, but she soon started to fight back afterwards, like the warrior she was and that would only cause more choleric turmoil in the end, a bigger and more inflamed explosion in the end. It took a great toll on there relationship, but what it exactly damaged in it was unknown to both of them.

And that wasn't the only problem he developed. He soon came paranoid about everything and everyone as well. At first, it was just some thoughts, but they soon became frequent and caused him to distrust more and more of the people around him. Yes, he did have a few he trusted, mostly his friends, but he knew that they all, deep down inside, hated him. They would never say it to his face, and would probably deny it to the bitter end, but, who's to say that's because they were planning to get him back? And if not them, what about those who lost their loved ones in the war, under his responsibility? Who's to say all those people who come up to him everyday and praise him for being a hero are just scheming to take revenge on him? Who's to say that all those little kids who ask for tips on sword fighting because they want to be as good as him one day, will become better one day? What if they dare him into battle one day and the kill him in a scheme that was designed to look like an accident? He wasn't sure, and he knew he could never be sure. It gave him more of an excuse to stay locked up inside his cabin, having to be forced out to get food. Mainly, the task was done by Annabeth or Jason, but Percy was still unsure of his well being whenever he went out. He just always got the shivering notion knowing that it was possibly the last time he every see the sun light...

But the worse part of it all was whenever night time came at the every end of the day. He dreaded that time of the day the most, because he was always bragged back... Back down there... Below the earth... Even beneath the Underworld...

He was brought back to that place every night, always in the same frighting dream he has every night and he has had every night for the pass three years. It was the same one that always brought him right to the edge and come extremely close to finally pushing him off for good, make himself fall right down to the bottomless pit of darkness with only his broken sanity to keep him company on the endless fall.

It was always the same. He just couldn't find relief from the torture, never really able to be truly free of that place since he went back there every night inside of his mind, making it haunt him forever. Percy had tried everything to get ridge of that terrible sights that replayed in his mind. He spend nights where he count sheep and think of anything else but that place. He even went nights of weeks of not sleeping, making himself stay up to stay away from the horror. He has even gone as far as to run miles around the camp all night to stay awake. He even tried to sleep in the lake, underwater without worrying about dying. The water has always been his safe heaven, his pure sanctuary, but that didn't work either... No matter what, the images always came back.

This was what really made him break. The roots, the very source of everything that cause him to became the broken person he has become. He drifted farther and farther into his deep depression, leaving him with nothing inside his soul except for self resentment and disapproval loathing for everything living. He lost himself in the darkness of that place far below and was hopeless of finding it again.

He was suffering from this all the time he spend the end of his summer vacation at camp. He rarely thought about school starting soon, it really didn't matter to him. He was too busy trying to find ways of getting out of his personal hell. He didn't think entering into another one would really help him.

It was the last week of summer when the camp was visited by the hunters of Artemis. Annabeth and Jason were thrilled by the new, running straight out of the dinning hall early in the morning to greet Thalia once they heard the news of the group's arrival. Percy didn't move from his seat, he just went on messing with his cereal while he sat alone that his table. It wasn't later on when Thalia came to him, when he was making his way back to his cabin after a well needed slashing in the sword fighting area. She jogged up to him and asked him how he has been, but he knew she knew how he was. He knew Annnabeth told her everything in a heads up notion, like Percy just might snap at her as well.

He curtly replied he was fine and that he was just tired and wanted to go back to his cabin and sleep. Before the hunter could say more, the son of Poseidon turned on his heels and walked away, not even looking back when Thalia swore at him for being rude. He just shut the door and went on.

It was that last Friday of summer when the game of capture the flap was canceled for whatever reason. Percy would be bummed out from the action but now it was so rare for him to even get excited about it. It was rare for him to get excited about anything really. They still had the camp bond fire as usual. Percy didn't attended and just made his way to his cabin. Or well, he was trying to at the time...

He was just a few steps away when the girl finally called for him, using the term 'Fucked Up Hero'. He turned to find a small, thin girl with dark colored hair tied back into a braid. She was a hunter, clearly but Percy still didn't know her. He stated quiet, waiting for more of her names but the only thing she said was when she questioned him to speak. He didn't. That only set more gasoline to her wild flame of rage.

She set off threats and insults faster then she could probably shoot her arrows. She hated him, very much. And he totally understood why she did. He hated himself for the same reasons.

So he just stood there and took it all. She came closer to him during her roaring fit, stomping her feet and throwing her arms around her. She was so angry and Percy could tell it wasn't all towards him, but he just expect she needed to get it all out of her system, so he let her rage.

That is, till she crossed the fucking line.

She brought up Zoë, and blamed him for her getting killed in the first place because he made her go back and face her father. She spoke about his love/hate relationship with Thalia and how he almost hurt her during that one fight they had when Annabeth went missing. And then she brought up how he was the reason Annabeth didn't join the hunters in the first place, how he ruin that for her because he was a stupid male. She crossed the line when she brought up of how he failed to protect Bianca Di Angelo and she died on a quest because of his failure.

Percy doesn't know why, but something just snapped inside him about that, once the unknown girl said the daughter of Hades name. His muscles tensed like tied rope being constricted into tight lines that throbbed inside his head, chest, arms, and legs. His eyes felt as if they were set on fire that was growing rapidly from the back of his eyeballs to the front making him see nothing but the dark, bloody color of anger. The familiar tugging in the bottom of his stomach took toll.

That's when time seemed to escape him in a swift swept of wind and his body took control of itself. He doesn't really recall it all clearly, not as much as he wished he did at least. He lost all memory of it at first, but when they told him about it, it all came back to him in a blurry mess, like dirty water on a mirror. It made a havoc image, but the message was still crystal clear.

He took rule over the large body of water near him, commanding for it to raise huge waves, over the tops of the buildings around them, going up till it touched the sky, and the water obeyed without hesitant as it always did before. He lifted his head as the might from the moon was blocked out and him and the girl entered into the dimly lighted shadows of the deathly disaster behind him. The girl's eyes followed the height if the waves, fear increasing in those dark irises with each inch, not meeting the full climax of the pure horrendous fear till the waves aimed downward. A scream failed to be released to her lips as the water came crashing down on her with enough force to make it feel like concrete. The water slammed down on Percy as well but it soon obeyed his commands again and departed for him and the girl who was a few feet away from him. She was soaking wet, her dark hair reminding him if a dog's wet coat. He snarled at the ugly sight, at least it was better then the sight of her face.

The girl was on the group, holding support from her arms as she cough up the last of the water that rushed into her lungs the same moment of her contact with the water. She had her back turned from him, where he found his golden opportunity. He pulled out Riptide from his pocket and uncapped it into his sharp, bronze sword.

He started to regain his self consciousness as he took those few steps, slowly but more and more returned as he came near the girl who was unaware of what he was doing. It was like a snake cornering his prey, the small white mouse. Like a big, vicious dog finally gaining up against the small cat. Like how Tartarus hellacious overpowered him like he was nothing more then dust or wind...

For once, Percy wasn't the mouse, the cat. He wasn't even his weak, tiny self... No, he was the more powerful one. He was the one who won the battle... He was the one who wasn't going to suffer, the girl was and it felt good knowing that he was finally going to be on the other side of the hand.

He was now mere centimeters from the girl, his stood over her small figure that was still on the group, now curled up in the fertile position, still slightly coughing. He raised his blade that blamed in the water dim light, as the girl finally looked up to him and quivered back with her eyes shrieking out the freight she felt inside. That look in her eyes gave him that satisfying thrill he deserved most out of the situation.

The color of her eyes-which were a dark brown color, the same color of her dripping long hair- and her cinnamon toned skin with freckles dashed across her noses and cheekbones took that sweet delectation away from him.

For a moment, he forgot who he was about to kill. Then he remembered that he was actually about to kill someone.

That's when all of that vanished. He came plowing back to earth and took in everything that was happening in with the rush of guilt, stronger then ever, racking up inside him like poison inside his veins, mixing with his blood so it can permanently stay there-inside him-forever.

It then when his hearing came back, once blocked out by the sound of a sound yet piercing ring that must have came from the bell of his anger. Annabeth's screaming came clear to him then, soon followed by her ripping the sword out of his hands that was still raised up, prepared to strike the girl who was now clinging onto Thalia like a child to a blanket to keep her away from the monsters.

That's what he was. A monster.

The realization stroked him more fiercely then a bolt of lighting. It numbed him down to the core, causing him to not being able to feel his legs moving as he was being pulled by Annabeth to the main house. Thalia shouted out curses and threats at him as he escape the forming crowd that gathered around the seem like moths to a bright light. He soon realized that they were all wet, even Annabeth, and he didn't know why.

He spend the night in the main house then. Sleeping roughly as he woke up to the nightmares as normal. He was thankful it wasn't really bad this night. He didn't want anymore attendant from anyone then he has already received. He stayed in that room the next day, having his meals being brought to him, the door locked so he couldn't get out. It was the next night when he actually heard something other then the buzzing of lights and the annoying chirping of birds outside his window that was also locked.

It was late at night, pass midnight when Percy heard Annabeth and Chiron have their little degustation about him, right outside his door in hushed tones that were as loud as sirens in that damned quiet room. It was okay, he was trying to stay awake anyway.

They decided it wasn't safe for him to be at camp anymore and he needed help. They came to the earth shattering discovery that he was fucked up during the war pretty bad and that was why he was this way. Percy could have fucking told them that if it was still that big of a damn mystery.

Annabeth then stated that she and Percy would be leaving for New Rome tomorrow morning, saying that he could get help there. She said she already talked to Reyna and his mother about it and they both approved of the matter. Good thing Percy had to get all their permissions to get better.

The next morning arrived and both Percy and Annabeth loaded up on their own pegasus and took off for New Rome in completely, unbroken silence. Percy didn't want to talk and Annabeth didn't tempt him.

And that's where he had been for the passed three years- in New Rome, in a new hell. They got there and the first thing they did was ship him off the some psychologist that tried to get inside him head, trying to find out what made him tick backwards and not forward. Percy refused to speak a single word to him, and he the guy tried everything to get him to speak about anything, but Percy was stubborn and determined. His goal was reached when the psychologist had enough one day and got up and walked out, stating that he refuses to treat a patient that won't meet him halfway. He was the longest lasting one out of them all.

Percy treated each doctor or psychologist or whatever the same way- silently. Never a word said to any of them. All of them quick because of that or either the fact they have declared him incurable, an other way of giving up on him.

Good, that was what he wanted. Why should he talk to them? Why? None of them will understand, and because of that, they will misjudge him and treat him unfairly. He knew it was bound to happen, but he certainly wasn't going to get it from the damn someone that was suppose to help and heal him. No, he knew none of them could do that, because none of them have been through the help he has been through. Not a damn one of them. So he just didn't deal with them in any manner. He didn't speak to them or even acknowledge there present.

It was the 7th or 8th one who broke him of that. The guy was fat and middle aged with almost not hair left on his head. He was dressed properly in his suit and looked presentable, but Percy still got the dim impression of his ex-step father, Gabe Ugliano, and it made him instantly hate him without any chance of changing that. Percy played his quiet card for the first ten minutes in the meeting, the doctor not saying anything either.

Then the man spoke and the first thing he requested for Percy to talk about was about his mother.

Percy bursted, his temper popping like a balloon, along with all the toilets, sinks, and water fountains in the building. He snapped at that man, almost yelling at him in a cruel tone of voice, speaking in rapid greek. The roman doctor didn't understand, obviously, but Percy still went off as the man sat there stunned. It wasn't till the water reached their floor when he ended his rant. They were on the 9th floor out of 10.

Later on that day, Percy told Annabeth about it. She would laugh at it and call him Seaweed Brain if this was normal, but instead she just frown and ask him about why he did this to the people that were trying to help him. Percy realized then he never told her why, along with a lot of other things. He finally told her and got the shock of his life. Annabeth snapped at him, slamming down the fry pan she was holding at the time, causing the pan part to break off from the handle. She screamed at him that she was always there for him, always there to listen. She was there too, down there... She had nightmares too and is willing to help him through that, along with all the guilt and self loathing, but she got through that all and healed her broken soul and has been and still is willing to help Percy with it because she loves him... Even through he wasn't there to help her when she needed him too...

She finished her rant with tears going down her cheeks and her gray eyes were red. She was breathing heavily. She soon realized what she done after a second of silent. She started to cry more, reaching her hand out, saying she was sorry... But Percy couldn't look at her, the guilt of making her suffer caused him to panic and ran out of the apartment without turning back, tears forming in his own eyes. Annabeth shouted back for him, her voice cracking with each call, until she just finally stopped calling.

And that's why he is here now, in the park in the center of New Rome... Or New New Rome when you think about it...

Percy ran here, trying to reach the nearest thing of water and ended up here, walking towards the big, gothic looking fountain made of some kind of black material he didn't recognized. He felt tired, alone, and guilty. He wanted to cry and hit something at the same time... He didn't even know how to exactly describe how he felt about anything or of anyone. He just.., he just didn't know anymore...

He sat there at the foot of that fountain and finally let out all the tears he been holding for years. He basically sobbed into his hands, shaking like a leaf in the now autumn like winds that made him cold.

He thought about all the people he knew in his life that he hurt: His mother, Annabeth, Zoë, Leo, Calypso, Bob, Bianca, Nico...

"Nico?" Percy squealed out like a rubber toy. He hadn't seen Nico in forever, since after he returned from Tartarus and the son of Hades left to deliver the Athena's Parthenon. Jason had mention about not having any luck at all to connect with the guy, Hazel being in the same level with him. They said it was like he vanished out of thin air...

Nico had been through Tartarus like him, alone even. He done some impossible stuff too, making him a hero that should be admired just like Percy... Nico would know about pressure, about how hard it is... He would even know about that place below...

Percy stood up and faced the fountain in front of him. The water was a beautiful blue color, clear and gleaming lovely in the moonlight. He pulled out his only drachma and flipped it into the water and prayed to Iris for the message and the to his father for it getting through. All that came up was a dark mist cloud that showed him nothing. Percy still spoke to it like it did get through.

"Nico... It's me, Percy. I know we haven't talked in a long time, and I know we were never the best of friends but I need your help..." He swallowed hard, trying to steady his voice. "I need you... I know that sound crazy but... But I want to know how you did it... How you vanished and how you dealt with...with your memories of that place. How can I be healed and how can I disappeared? Please, you have the answer, so please... Just tell me and save me. Just please save me."

He ended his stupid attempt of contacting him, and sat back down to cry some more, not even bothering to end the message but a wave from his hand through the black cloud. When he thought about it, he felt something change in the air and before he knew it, he was out cold, his last sight of the world was the bright water's shining reflection as his vision went black.

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks for reading, it's longer then the first chapter but that's okay. Thanks for the following and the favorites, they are greatly appreciated.

Please review, and give me your option if I need to change the rating or not. Sorry for the grammar mistakes and all.

Please give me any info. that you think need improvement, I'm open to that. It makes my story better. Thanks again, please review.


	3. Chapter 3

Percy came up from the cold water with two strong hands pulling him out, almost yanking his arms out of socket.

He came up breathing wildly and heavily, which he found stupid of himself, but he kept at it because he was seriously out of breath and light headed. His vision was blurry for a few seconds till he focused in onto a very pale face that held a mean expression. Percy then realized that the face wasn't exactly human once he really looked at him and saw through him. There were two more men behind him and, from the corners of his eyes, two more on each side, holding his up like nothing. Panic rose slightly inside him and his trouble with breath increased. He flinches a little and the guards holding him shake him to stop.

The big guard in front of him steps closer to the son of Poseidon. He looks him up and down, checking his clothing. He even leans in and sniffs him, pulling away with a snarl on his face. Percy looks down at himself, finding his clothes dry.

The leader turns to the two behind him, ordering out commands in a foreign language that Percy doesn't know. It sounded somewhat Greek but it also had a hint of something else he wasn't so sure of.

"W-what?" He stammers. "Where am I? Who are you-" he was cut off but another harsh shook that made his arms throb. The leader kept talking to the other two, ignoring Percy like an annoying child.

Panic and a bit if anger rose inside Percy more. "I said, where am I?" He put force into his tone, but got the same results.

Percy was now frustrated. He should have been cautious with these new stronger looking visitors but he knew this route. They were trying to kill him.

His theory was proven when the leader turned around and brought out his sword. Percy didn't have time to react before the leader cut his cheek. Blood soon ran out and down his face and Percy felt his rage roar. He kicked the leader in the chest, bringing his legs up and putting all of his force into the blast.

Percy soon regretted that. His leg hit the armor and the painful effect shot up his leg like lighting, causing his to gasp in pain. The guards around him laughed with humor at the demigod who was not in pain from his stupid attempt of an attack.

He bite back his squeal as the guards threw him in a wooden cart like vehicle. He sat up as they settle into there own seats, the two that were just holding him now hanging off the sides. Percy's leg was throbbing and would soon go numb. He glared at the two guard already decided that he hated them. He also took a look at there armor. All five of them were in Ancient World like clothing with long black pants and bronze accent armor on the chest which were covered by sliver grey shirt. Their swords hang off to the side with large shields hanging off there backs.

The chart soon started to move and Percy mumbled threats under his breath, blaming and cursing the gods for every damn thing he could think of. Percy soon notices the sight in front of him. The chart that carried them all was riding on a long wooden bright that served as a passage over a large body of water, possibly a river or ocean. The sight was beautiful really, the sun was slowly raising over the brilliant blue water and the sky was a wide variety of colors-orange, pink, purple, white. The wind blew it the opposite direction of the way they were going, making Percy's hair flap over his face as he sat out look at the sight.

Soon the never ending bright stopped and replaced with rocky dirt and grassy pacts. Rows of houses came into view, along with people in long robes that looked like they came from Ancient Greece. All of them were like the guards-pale white ghost.

The sight before Percy blew his mind. The ghost peasant were living like actual people. They carried homemade baskets that held fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Some walked calmly as the held a few scrolls in there hands, as if they were off to find a nice area to read or to their way to an important meeting. Some were even playing in the streets, running around as if they were playing a game of tag. They even looked like living children. The thought send shivers down Percy's spine.

The houses soon turned into shops, were the road also turned into paved, smooth stones that were the color of ivory. Their were more people there now. Most of them were stands at the local shops, talking and buying things. Some were walking and socializing, laughing and smiling. It made Percy head feel lopsided.

Part of Percy felt a little off by the odd sight. Ever since his first visit to the Underworld, he always thought that the dead were incredibly sad souls that seem to never truly understand why they were no longer living, and seemed to leave them in a depressing state that seemed to last forever, like they can never be truly at peace. This was the exact opposite. The spirits were smiling, even laughing like they were still alive, as if they never died in the first place. They even look like they were still human, with they facial feature lighting up brightly, along with their full sounding voices that seemed to fill the air. He felt as if he was back at Camp Half Blood before the war, back when everything was okay again. His heart felt like it was being tug at the thought.

The cart stopped abruptly, making Percy fall back on his backside, his arms failing to caught him. His head hit the old wood and he groan with pain. When his vision cleared he saw the leader of the guards to his left, standing in a demanding pose as he glared down at the young demigod, as if he was a bug on a priceless rug.

"We are needed for a moment in this shop. We will be right back, and we will be watching." His tone was deadly, which Percy found somewhat ironic. "Don't try anything, vittima." He then turned away and headed inside the large, old looking shop that the cart stopped in front of. Percy sighed deeply, angry at the guards and his throbbing head.

"Goddamn asshole." He mumbled under his breath.

"What's that?" Percy jumps out of his skin and looks in front of him, his hand in his pocket, gripping Riptide but not uncapping it.

Hanging off the railing of the cart was a little boy with paler-than-death skin and messy blonde hair. His eyes were a light toned green, but the life inside them seemed to missing. Everything else about him was alive and surprising well exact for his eyes and skin.

"What?" Percy asked the boy.

"What's a goddamn asshole?" He repeated. Percy felt his face go red from embarrassment.

"Umm... Nothing." He said. "Who are you?"

The boy grinned a smile with a few missing teeth. "I'm Ajax."

"Hi Ajax." Percy forced a smile. "Um...Don't go repeating that either."

"Okay." Ajax nodded. "I won't."

"Ajax!" A girl came into view. She was older with the same hair and eyes, but she had freckles dashed across her cheeks and the base of her nose. Percy assumed they were siblings. She picked the boy up off the railing and balanced him onto her hip. The girl looked about the age of a preteen as the boy was probably a toddler.

"S-sorry, s-sir." The girl stammered. "He's always getting out and exploring."

"It's okay." Percy said. The looked at him wide eyed and blushed bright red before turning away. Percy was a little stunned by the notion.

"What are you?" A new voice questioned to his side, which turned out to be another little boy with a group if children around him, all of them looking up at him, gawking with curiosity and amazement.

"I'm a...demigod." It came out more like a question then a statement. The kids gasped.

"Oh my!" A young lady came up to the cart now. "No wonder his so handsome!"

"Um...thanks?" That was defiantly a question. Before he could blink, more and more voices broke out at him with questions of all kinds. More and more people came up to the cart, all of them looking at Percy like he was a priceless artifact. Percy soon stood and backed away from the crowd now forming, making him feel as if he was a stage performing instead of be captured and held hostage in a shitty wagon thing.

"Who is you godly parent, demigod?" One person cried.

"Poseidon." He answered.

"Is that why you have such a glowing glorious aura around you? To represent the sea god's beautiful creation?" A woman asked.

"Umm..." That was extremely odd. Who talked like that anymore?

Just then another woman gasped in total shock. "He's alive!"

That caused the crowd to go wild. Shouts broke the air even more, people were throwing their arms up and reaching for him. He went even more back, to where his back touched the back of the front riding seats.

The idea came to him in a flash, forming faster then he could put to act. He hopped over the seat and settled in with the stirring rope in his hand. He noticed that the horse in front of him were just as pale and ghostly as the people who were now calling for Percy like mad.

"Son of the Sea God, please come back!"

"Sea Prince, please return to us!"

"Demigod Heir! Come and tell us abut your glory, young hero!"

"Hey! You!"

At that call, Percy turned to find his new best friend, pointing his sword at him as he stood in front of the shop. Percy stroked the horses and call out the command.

The cart ran off forward, zooming with rapid speed and force. All five guards and some people from the crowd lunged forward. Most missed but not that Percy's best friend. Percy turned to find him screaming threads at him as he barely hung onto the back railing of the cart.

Percy turned back up front and stroked them again, demanding more speed. He turned back to still find the leader hanging on. Percy cussed out loud this time, hoping no little kid heard him that time.

He turned back to the front to find that they were about to crash into a home head on. He cussed again, pulling the stirring rope as hard and he could. "Turn!" He called out to the horses.

They obeyed, making a sharp left turn at the last second. Percy was thrown to the side but manage to stay on. He looked back to find the man hopping over the railing, now in the back section of the cart.

Percy, with one hand on the rope, pulled out Riptide. The guard pulled out his sword and attacked Percy. Percy defended himself as he tried to keep an eye on the road ahead of him. He tugged the ropes harder, trying to get fast enough to throw off the guard's balance, but it didn't effect him much. He was a seriously good swordsman, defiantly giving Percy a hard time since he hadn't practice as much and was pretty rusty.

Percy turned back to the front and saw about a dozen men on horses charging at him. He pulled the toes with all his might, yelling as loud as possible. "HALT!"

He was bent back as he did this, so the guard took advance of this and tried to slice him in half. Percy dodged to the left, taking the rope with him, which caused the horse to turn left. The horses and cart with into a swirling circle, making the cart drag on the ground, losing the two back wheels in the process.

Percy let go of the ropes to stop the spinning, which didn't make fighting the guard any easier, even with both hands. The next thing Percy known is that he is, somehow, on the ground at sword point with that damn guard leader above him and all his damn guard followers around him.

Percy swore out loud for the third time that day. The fourth was when they grabbed him back the arm and pointed the sword to his back, saying that he was now going to walk to the plaza.

Well, at least he knew where he was going now. He tried asking why but that just got him a cut on his face. The stinging on his cheek wasn't really that bad through, at least, not as bad as all the people who were obsessing over him like a cute puppy dog. The villagers weren't as bad as they were earlier but they were still looking at him in great amazement. He found it annoying, a bit nice at first, but now it was annoying.

The punishment walk was never ending. Percy walked as the dozen guards on horses gather around him in a form of a square. The leader was the one who held the sword at his back, pushing the point to his spine every now and then.

After what felt like days later, Percy could finally see the castle from a distance. It was huge, and ungodly pretty. The thought finally hit him then, when they were passing the golden marigolds and ruby red roses garden that decorated the front entrees.

"Does your ruler or whatever want me for something?" Percy asked the guard behind him. He turned his head to find him evilly smirking, but he remain silent.

They arrived to the big, black metal gates that were accented with fine, curvy lines of bronze. At the very top, there was a black skull with emerald green eyes. It gave Percy the shivers.

The surrounding guards soon departed around him, and went onto other places, leaving him with the original five. In a flash, Percy found himself in a very still and tough stance with one sword blade across the neck, one on point with his heart, and one on the center if his spine.

"What the actual fuck?" Percy cried out with a raise brow.

"Silence, fool!" The leader ordered. "We will now lead you to the king."

"The King? Is that your ruler person thing?" Percy asked.

"Yes. He's the one who ordered us to search the water and bring you to him once we found you." The leader glared down at the demigod again. His eyes were like the other's, dark and hollow, but he was looking at him like he was trying to solve a complex math problem he couldn't wrap his mind around fully. Percy tired not to gulp from the intimidating scowl.

"Come along." He finally ordered. The group followed him as he lead the way into the castle. Percy took very small steps behind him due to the fact he had swords all pointing at him. If he stepped to big the blade at his next dug in too deep into his neck for his own confront. If he was going to slowly for the guards, who probably thought he was delaying his meeting with the so called 'King', they would harshly poke him with the sword, right onto his spine to where he flinched in panicky pain. They didn't cause blood, but it was still enough to worry Percy.

The part he didn't like most about his wonderful stroll was the fact that he was supposedly going to see their king, who probably wanted him to either go on a quest for him or wanted him to died for whatever reason. Either way, Percy was not excited about this at all.

At least the view was nice. The hallway the group went through was very pretty, in a kinda dark gothic sorta way. The walls were dark with matching columns, all of them illuminating in the low light that was provided by the giant, majestic glass chandelier that hovered over the very first open room that came upon durning the walk. There were ghost servants there in a variety of colored robes serving what seemed to be priest. Percy found that was slightly odd but walked on. Not that he really had a choice or anything...

They kept walking, Percy using his side vision to observe the place. He noticed the painting of different looking men that hung on the walls in golden frames. All of them were somewhat the same, most of them had the same coloring of the eyes or the shape of their mouth or the angle of their chins. All of them were in royal black armor with different material designs. All the kings' expressions radiated power and ruthlessness, as if they were about to exile Percy for just breathing. Beside the painting were small plaques that stated the ruler's name and the time period they were in charge of the kingdom. The thing was, Percy couldn't read it. It was written in a forgiven language that he had never seen before. It looked slightly similar to Greek lettering, and maybe a bit of English, but it still seemed completely exotic and different then Percy had ever seen before.

He didn't get much of a chance to study it, since the guard behind his won't allow it. So he decided just the ask. "So, who are all these dudes?"

He never received an answer. The leader just kept briskly walking, ignoring the boy. The guards around him didn't bother to answer him.

After what seemed like forever, Percy saw a new light up ahead, at the end of the hallway. They came into it son afterwards. Percy's eyes first landed on the large plaque on the wall with more of the mystery writing enrage on it. Percy realized it was the throne room when he saw the throne that almost blew his mind. Not because it was glorious or amazing or anything like that. No, because it was just like the Hades'. A tall black cushion throne with human bones scattered at the bottom, the same thing that the chair was basically made of. It hit Percy then of why he thought he had been to the castle before. He turned back towards everything he just walked through behind him, looking over the guard.

"It's just like the Underworld..." Percy mumbled to himself in shock.

"Look forward!" The leader demanded in a hard, loud tone. Percy obeyed and slowly turned forwards.

"The King isn't here." The leader stated as he walked towards him.

"Clearly." Percy sassed back. In a second he had a sword tip under his chin.

"Do not test me, demigod." The leader threaten. Percy remained quiet as he removed the sword but not moving it far.

"Perhaps it would be easier for you to confess your sins now. Saves the King's time of dealing with you." The leader glared at him more. "So speak now."

"I didn't do anything." Percy stated with force in his voice.

"Lair!" The leader shove the sword tip back under his chin. "The King always kills those who he requests us to bring from the water. All of those who have been from the living world on the King's demands never made it back."

"I haven't done anything." He stated again. "I don't even know who your king is."

"Lair!"

"I'm not lying, you fucking asshole!" That cause the butt of the sword to make connect with his head. Percy went down with a painful groan, his vision blurring. The swords pointing all around him return and the one under his chin held his head up as he stayed on his knees.

His vision cleared enough to see the leader from his side. Percy was glaring at him and he was glaring back. He was about to day something till the sound of opening doors cut him off. Percy turned back to the front, facing upwards to the bone throne, and watched carefully into the dark to see if anything happens. He couldn't see the doors, he could only hear them and the squeaky noise that over power the almost empty room. Soon the squealing noise stopped and soon were followed by knocking footsteps that sounded as if they were covered by boots. The noise came louder as the feet soon approached the steps leading up the throne.

Percy's vision was cleared by then, but the sight before him seemed to be unreal to were he question if his was just imaging it. Or better yet, him.

The young man in front if him was about as tall as he was himself, with long limbs with firm, sinewy muscles. His skin was as white snow, almost as white as the ghost's, but it was obviously clear that he was alive with his beaming radiance of sovereignty. It vibrated more of his power, along with his graciousness, whenever he moved in the slightish bit. He even looked paler in his ebony clothing, with tall black leather boots and black riding pants tucked into them, and then his black, long sleeve shirt to complete the uniform. He wore a thin, bronze, twine like armor that clung to the sides of his legs, strapped from the top of his boots up to his waist belt that held his swords. His hair was a slovenly manner, like it always was, but his face had matured. In the pass years, his jaw line has became wider and squarer. His cheeks became fuller, only a bit hallow now, which brought out his high and strong cheek bones. His svelte lips were the color of the rose outside, making his eyes look as dark and as brown as the underworld soil. He had transformed into a completely different looking being then the last encounter Percy had had with him, but he could still recognized him straight away, like it was still the ten year old he first met, or the hero he fought beside in the Giant War.

For a long moment, they just stared back at each other. Percy could tell the absolute shock in his eyes, and he knew he probably reflected the notion back to him. Percy couldn't find any words to say for a moment. He was just...surprised to see him. And even more surprised to find his to change so dramatically.

_Is this where he been for all these years? Is this why we couldn't get to him in any way?... Then how could I last night?_

The memories of last night flew through his mind, recalling every single detail. He knew he tried to IM him, reaching out desperately to his last sting of hope and sanity, but he never really expected to get a reply. He was somewhat happy he did.

"Percy." Nico whispered, breaking the silence in the room dramatically.

"Nico." Percy breathed. All the swords around him pressed onto his body even more.

"What do you want us to do with him, My Lord?" The leader asked.

Nico blinked a few times before turning to him, like he just realized that the guards were actually there. "W-what?"

"How do you want us to kill him and why?"

"What?!" Nico flinched, like his own cry surprised him. "No. No, don't kill him."

"But My Lord, his a criminal."

"No. No he's not." Nico stated with his voice now firm. "He's my guest. My honored guest... He's..." He turned back to Percy. "He's my friend."

Percy breathed again as he felt the sword point slowly move away from his body and the guards moved away from him, letting his have some space and have the capability to breath for the first time.

Nico turned back to the leader. "Bradshaw," he addressed the guard. "Take him to his own private room. Dress him and feed him if he is hungry. He'll join me later tonight for dinner. Just me and him."

"Yes, My Lord." Bradshaw bowed.

The guards were starting to help him up when he spoke. "Wait!" Percy didn't know why he was having a hard time talking to him. "I-I have so much to ask. So much-"

"I'll answer then at dinner, Percy." Nico actually smiled at him, a small smile, but a smile overall. "I'll answer everyone. I promise."

The son of Hades turned his back before Percy could speak again. The boy walked back into the dark to where he couldn't be seen again. That's when the guards turned him back towards the hallway behind him and lead him away.

Percy knew Nico would keep his promise. He always did.

* * *

><p><em>AN: thanks for reading. Please review, my personal goal is about thirty-five reviews at the most when I finish this story. But thanks y'all so much for all the following ad favs! I know this chapter is a but shorter but hopefully y'all still like it. I tried not to make Percy all "love at first sight" with Nico because thats really... Nonrealistic._

_So, give me some feed back because that's always helpful and thanks again!_


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